The February 11, 1949 earthquake
M5.5near Tonopah, NV
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake 3.7 miles deep, centred in Esmeralda County. The 36th strongest in Nevada’s record since 1900, and the strongest within 50 miles since a magnitude 5.6 on August 8, 1943.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 5.5
- local magnitude (ml)
- Depth
- 3.7 mi
- 6.0 km below the surface
- Local time
- Friday, February 11, 1949
- 13:05 PST; 21:05 UTC
- In Nevada’s record
- 36th
- strongest of 8,110 since 1900
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, event ci3356225 (“30km WSW of Tonopah, NV”). The USGS event page carries the ShakeMap, felt reports and the official summary.
Counties and cities within 50 miles
Distance from the epicentre to each county boundary (zero when inside) and to each city centre.
Counties
- Esmeralda CountyNV · inside
- Nye CountyNV · 17.7 mi
- Mono CountyCA · 36.5 mi
- Inyo CountyCA · 36.5 mi
- Mineral CountyNV · 38.0 mi
Earthquakes around the epicentre
999 earthquakes of magnitude 3 or more within 50 miles of this epicentre since 1973.
Earlier earthquakes of magnitude 5 or more within 50 miles, strongest first
- November 21, 1910M6.1
- August 8, 1943M5.6
- November 18, 1910M5.5
- November 21, 1910M5.5
- May 11, 1939M5.5
- November 7, 1910M5.5
- December 30, 1941M5.4
- February 2, 1933M5.1
- May 9, 1933M5.1
- November 21, 1910M5.0
USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog. Local time is the time zone of the county nearest the epicentre. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them.